It consists of two rails and a tongue, joined by three transoms. The tongue is in the middle, and projects considerably beyond the rails, to the rear. At each end of the rails on top, a hard piece of wood is notched in, and bolted. They are called hurters and counter-hurters, and their use is to prevent the gun carriage from running off the chassis. Rail-plates of iron to protect the wooden rails are let in to the outside of the rails. At the rear end of the tongue, a swinging prop is placed to support the end of the tongue when the piece is run back. The lower side of the end of the tongue is notched out, and a manœuvering loop fixed there, with a bolt and screws, to assist in handling the chassis. On the under side of each rail, opposite the rear transom, a mortise is formed, for the reception of a socket of iron which receives the handle of the traverse-wheel fork. Each of these forks receives a traverse-wheel, joined to it by an axle-bolt, and these support the rear end of the chassis. The front end is supported on a pintle-plate of iron; through which, and up into the middle of the front transom, passes a pintle or bolt, which serves as a pivot around which the whole system moves.
52. In permanent batteries, how are the pintle and traverse circle fixed?
The pintle is fixed in a block of stone, and the traverse circle is an iron plate set also in stone.
53. In temporary batteries, how is the pintle attached?
To a wooden bolster which is covered by a circular cast-iron plate, and attached by bolts to a wooden cross picketed firmly into the ground.
54. How may a temporary traverse circle be made?
Of plank, pinned to sleepers, and fastened to pickets, or secured to string-pieces, which connect the traverse circle with the pintle-cross.
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55. What retains the traverse-wheels and their forks in their places?
The weight of the carriage and gun, and the form of the socket and handle of the fork.